Reporter Josh Mattingly has apologized for making "inappropriate" comments to a female game developer after they were made public earlier today, saying he was drunk.

Advertisement

Earlier this afternoon, game designer Laralyn McWilliams posted a blurred Facebook conversation from January 18 in which a male reporter asked a female game developer—a friend of McWilliams—about an unannounced game. The conversation, which you can read in its entirely at the bottom of this post, quickly turned crude, as the reporter sent messages like "I will kiss you on the vagina if you do" and "Let me know if you need a penis for anything in the [near] future."

Kotaku has learned that the journalist involved in this conversation was Josh Mattingly, the founder and CEO of the indie gaming website IndieStatik.

Advertisement

When reached on the phone by Kotaku, Mattingly said he planned to apologize, and took to his blog, where he wrote an apology this evening. "There has been a recent situation that I regretfully put myself into involving a woman who I consider a friend in the industry," he wrote. "I want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for the way I acted and the words that were exchanged."

You can read the posted conversation right here, or see an uncensored version at this link.

And here's Mattingly's full apology:

Sponsored

There has been a recent situation that I regretfully put myself into involving a woman who I consider a friend in the industry. I want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for the way I acted and the words that were exchanged. I am mortified by my behavior as it was not only completely inappropriate, but it was fueled by alcohol and depression. My younger brother committed suicide last year and ever since then I haven't been myself. A tragedy like that is something I hope no one has to endure. Even though I'm aware that alcoholism runs in my family, I have been using it to cope with the pain that I feel every day. It's compounded my depression and clearly clouded my common sense and dignity.

Contrary to what I drunkenly typed, I have nothing but respect for this person. She has always been a positive ray of sunshine and I got very carried away in a conversation that I never should have started. Just because someone is nice to me doesn't mean I can act inappropriately or say whatever I want to them. Especially since I have been such an advocate of women in games and treating everyone with the same level of respect and decency. I was a complete hypocrite and I am more mad at myself than anyone else will ever be with me. Since the other night, I have taken the steps to get into therapy to deal with the loss of my brother as well as regular AA meetings to deal with my self destruction.

I want to be perfectly clear, I'm not using my brother as a scapegoat to give me cart blanche or excuse my behavior. I know that women in the industry have to deal with these sorts of things every day and I hate myself for adding to it. What I did was completely wrong and something that I, myself, take responsibility for. I only bring up my own depression and loss to try to find the root of my poor choices.

Once again, I am terribly sorry. All I've ever wanted to be is a positive influence and I let my metal health and alcohol abuse get the best of me.